Core Computing Systems draft

Core Computing Systems

In this curriculum, we use "Computing Systems" to encompass both machine systems (also called computer architecture) and operating systems. We combine these two together because coursework tends to combine them together (e.g., both Nand2Tetris and Computation Structures mix the teaching of a simple operating system with hardware-focused material).

Physics should be considered a soft prerequisite as the courses are fairly self-contained. We have listed it because MIT Computation Structures technically requires it.

Ideally, students will complete all of Survey, Machine Systems, and Operating Systems. If this is not possible (due to cost or other access reasons), try to complete at least one of either Survey or Machine Systems.

Those who intend to study low-level systems programming, such as through the Advanced Computing Systems track, should consider Machine Systems to be completely mandatory.

Prerequisites

• Foundations Physics
• Core Programming

Resources

Survey

Code is excellent for taking students all the way up the ladder of abstraction starting at the very bottom, demonstrating that a computer doesn't need to be what we traditionally think of as a "computer". However, it doesn't have any projects; it's light, optional reading.

Format	Resource	Use cases	Length
book	Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software (Charles Petzold)	motivation	559 pages
book	The Elements of Computing Systems: Building a Modern Computer from First Principles (Noam Nisan and Shimon Schocken)	learn	354 pages
course	HUJI Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: From Nand to Tetris	learn	20 hours
course	HUJI Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: Nand to Tetris Part II	learn	100 hours

Machine Systems

Unfortunately for those who prefer text resources, there are no freely available books on machine systems (computer architecture) of sufficiently high quality for us to recommend. The author of Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces, one of the few high-quality free books on operating systems, is currently working on creating such a similar work on machine systems, and we have left a placeholder for this new book for whenever it is ready. If you decide to use Patternson and Hennessy, know that you are advised to follow the readings and do the labs assigned in Berkeley CS61C.

For everyone else, we recommend MIT Computation Structures parts 1-3.

Format	Resource	Use cases	Length
book	Computer Organization and Design MIPS Edition: The Hardware/Software Interface (Patterson and Hennessy)	learn	800 pages
book	Placeholder: Computer Systems: Three Easy Steps (not yet available)
course	MIT Computation Structures 1: Digital Circuits	learn	60 hours
course	MIT Computation Structures 2: Computer Architecture	learn	60 hours
course	MIT Computation Structures 3: Computer Organization	learn	60 hours

Operating Systems

First learn basic C by taking Aalto C (if you prefer text-based) or the C parts of Harvard CS50 (if you prefer video-based). Then read OS:TEP and do all the exercises or take Hack the Kernel.

Format	Resource	Use cases	Length
text	Aalto C	learn
course	Harvard CS50	learn
book	Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces (Remzi H. Arpaci-Dusseau and Andrea C. Arpaci-Dusseau)	learn	714 pages
course	Hack the Kernel	learn

Needed by

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